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Army Aviators Drop in for Tour of VLA

Recent News

ALMA Reveals Teenage Years of New Worlds

The ALMA survey to Resolve exoKuiper belt Substructures (ARKS), using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), has produced the sharpest images ever of 24 debris disks, the dusty belts left after planets finish forming. These disks are the cosmic equivalent of the teenage years for planetary systems—somewhat more mature than newborn, planet-forming disks, but not yet settled into adulthood.

Army Aviators Drop in for Tour of VLA

As part of a training event, the U.S. Army’s C Company, 3rd Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment, Combat Aviation Brigade, First ArmoredDivision, based at Fort Bliss, Texas, made a stop at the Karl Jansky Very Large Array on February 20. Arriving in five UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, they landed and met NRAO staffers for a guided tour of the radio telescope facility. The Army personnel learned about the scientific work and the technology of the VLA, and in turn answered many questions from NRAO personnel about their aircraft and their experiences in serving our nation. The training exercise was the last flight for their company commander, Capt. Chloe Flores, before her retirement from active duty. Following the tour, the aviators provided an impressive show as the five powerful helicopters lifted off and departed the VLA site.

Recent News

ALMA Reveals Teenage Years of New Worlds

The ALMA survey to Resolve exoKuiper belt Substructures (ARKS), using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), has produced the sharpest images ever of 24 debris disks, the dusty belts left after planets finish forming. These disks are the cosmic equivalent of the teenage years for planetary systems—somewhat more mature than newborn, planet-forming disks, but not yet settled into adulthood.

Radio Telescopes Uncover ‘Invisible’ Gas Around Record-Shattering Cosmic Explosion

Astronomers using the U.S. National Science Foundation Very Large Array and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array have revealed a dense cocoon of gas around one of the most extreme cosmic explosions ever seen, showing that a ravenous black hole ripped apart a massive star and then lit up its surroundings with powerful X-rays.